Comments on: Gratituesday: Tried it, Lost it, Mourned it…Adventures with Flax

By: Wendy Ray

Wendy Ray — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:31:10 +0000

The same goes for vitamin E, Iron, Calcium, …you name it. Supplements are a blessing! But food is awesome medicine, if we just use it. Thank you, a million times, Katie, for helping me learn more and more about nutritious and delicious food!!!
I LOVE your cookbooks!

By: Wendy Ray

Wendy Ray — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:28:19 +0000

My opinion (for what it’s worth, and that has some pretty serious research behind it) is that risks go up when processing goes up. So flax oil can be a great thing here and there, or when you know you need to up your intake dramatically for a while (this can be great for telling your body that the famine is over and get it into a healthy mode of processing a nutrient that has been scarce), but seriously, if you took more than a few tablespoons of flax seed or flax meal, there are a few benefits to consider: a tablespoon of flax OIL would probably take, what, 5 or 6 or more tablespoons of seeds to make?!
Second, I don’t know how to do that myself. I COULD, however, grind flax with my teeth, a mortar and pestle, or my coffee grinder (which I only use for that and sesame seeds).
Third, there are other nutrients in Flax that don’t make it into flax OIL. I believe that God puts things in great packaging, adding ingredients that counter negatives that other ingredients might have.
Lastly, if you did take tablespoons and tablespoons of flax seed or meal, the laxative effect would likely prevent you from assimilating much, thereby avoiding overdose.
It makes sense to me that old PARTS of foods, whether preserved ideally or not, are less ideal than whole foods.
ps. If you want to be VERY idealistic about your omega 3′s heat sensitivity, Udo Erasmus says it’s far better to boil than to bake or fry.
pps. Wow, we add virgin olive oil to our butter, about 1:2 or half-and half, to make it spreadable and a little cheaper and healthier, and it is so delicious with a little Flax or Udo’s Oil added. So if you’re looking for a way to use those oils quickly, nothing makes a baked potato or fresh popped corn taste so satisfying.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:17:34 +0000

Kim,
You are too sweet – but the oil wasn’t two years old, this post is just two years old. I want to say the oil was about 2 months before expiration when I bought it, but I totally wasn’t quick enough at using the whole (rather large) bottle. My oops! Katie

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:08:40 +0000

You’ll “catch up” before you know it (with a few bumps in the road like this one along the way). Katie

By: KristinaD

KristinaD — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:39:33 +0000

I agree! If you bought it this year, take it back!!! Even if they only give you store credit it would be worth the time!

God is good at reminding us we can’t do it alone. Heed his gentle warning. Or He will smack you upside the head. He often has to do that with me when I refuse to listen.

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:45 +0000

Katie – TAKE THAT OIL BACK TO THE STORE! I work in a small whole foods store and we try valiantly to manage the expired items but a few slip through the cracks. We always take those items as full returns if we accidentally sell them to a customer. If your store doesn’t do that, take it up the ladder to the store manager or owner. That’s not acceptable for them to sell you two year old flax oil!

By: Peggy

Peggy — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:51:59 +0000

Ugh. Humility can be a real tough one! So cool that you found gratitude in this situation, though!

By: Mary P.

Mary P. — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:15:37 +0000

Try not to feel bad about your losses, how were you supposed to know? These things happen, it’s part of the learning curve. I bought flax oil once a long time ago just before I learned how very fragile and unstable it is once the seed is broken open. I mean it practically starts deteriorating immediately upon being ground, you just have to look at it the wrong way and it starts to go downhill, haha!! ) I had to throw mine out as well. Ever since I have not purchased any flax product and I do what someone else has already suggested – grinding it as I need it and using it immediately, or grinding enough for a week max (I have a dedicated little coffee grinder I use for this). I also keep the flax seeds and ground flax in the freezer.

By: Bugladynora

Bugladynora — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:26:56 +0000

Sorry for your loss, glad you shared so we can benefit. Loved your transcript of your conversation with God.
We stopped eating artificials at Easter and somehow I found your blog and subscribed. You are light years ahead of us and give me tons to think about and research. Enjoy it!

By: Nora

Nora — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:04:03 +0000

I feel your pain! I don’t compost in the typical way (yet) but before I throw any food out I consider whether I can just add it to my garden. I did this with some old whole wheat flour before a gentle rain would soak it in. I didn’t want white mulch!

I even do this with leftover water from steaming vegetables and boiling corn. I either save it to cook with, drink it myself, feed it to the dog or pour it on thirsty plants! Since nutrients leach into the water I can’t just pour them down the drain!

Keep my whole flax seed in the freezer until I grind it to retain freshness.